FOCUS 2.0 - Imaging

Imaging

Like the clinical record, this section of the application (optional extra) has also benefited greatly from being integrated into the main application in a couple of ways. Firstly, there is no longer the requirement to flick between different applications; secondly, the images taken are stored within the database alongside the other details about the patient. This might cause concern when considering things like backup, but we feel very strongly that the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. The only disadvantage that this raises is that the database size is increased by the size of the images; performance is unaffected. The size of the database has vastly increased between FOCUS 1.0 and FOCUS 2.0 anyway, so the addition of images into the database is just another factor that should be considered when defining the backup strategy for the practice. Reliable backup media in the order gigabytes is not costly these days so we anticipate that the benefits will be seen as worthwhile. The advantages are that the images are under the control of the application so are not able to be tampered with in any way except through the application. This should give a degree of comfort with regard to clinical governance and peace of mind. The fact that the images can be included with the main database backup is also an advantage as there is no requirement for separate backup arrangements to be made to account for the images.

The imaging screen is shown below:

The imaging module is a mature product in its own right, this being the second iteration of a product that can be sold ‘stand-alone’. This is not the place to detail the operation; a summarized list of features is given below to indicate the depth of functionality that it provides. It can be seen from the tabs along the top of the screen that images are categorised and can be viewed and analysed in their different sections.

Imaging functionality

Image manipulation

• Look at the image with a floating, magnifying glass, which can be dragged all over the image
• All of the image manipulation operations are performed on a duplicate image, keeping the original intact
• Many filter effects: Bleed, Bump map, Blur, Edge detect, Grey scale, Negative, Red, Red free, Sharpen
• Enhance the Brightness, Contrast with quick access options
• Adjust Colour & Gamma using RGB, HSV & HSL colour models
• View tonal range of the image with multi-channel histogram.
• Most of the manipulations performed on the image get logged in to notes, attached with individual images
• Print fundus images, in portrait or landscape format, with the black frame around the image automatically removed, to save printer ink. Also print selected regions or zoom in area, directly.

Image compare

• Compare multiple images (either two or four) on the same screen
• Image view operation (zooming, panning, etc.) are synchronized across all the compared images, with the Synchronize option
• Apply multiple filters to a selected image & compare them.
• Compare current & old images

Image annotation

• Annotate images with drawing tools like, line, freehand line, rectangle, ellipse, polygon, text and clipart images.
• Print images with the annotations
• All annotations are saved on to a separate graphics layer which can be turned ON or OFF, without altering the original images.